Who Invented Cosmetics

The use of cosmetics as a medium to enhance facial contours can be traced back to as early as 4000B.C.Many evidence indicate towards the fact that the ancient Egyptians were the first to apply cosmetics. It is believed that Egyptians maintained similar standards of beauty to those prevalent in the modern times. The current make-up trends such as application of rogue, eyelid paint, lip colour etc. are all legacies of the ancient Egyptian era.

The use of henna as a means to adorn hand and feet was a common practice amongst the women of Egypt and Mesopotamia. Kohl, which is a derivative of lead ore, was extensively used as an eye shadow and eyeliner to delineate the shape of the eyes. The Egyptian queen Nefertiti was the pioneer who first painted her fingernails and toenails with a red lacquer and gave birth to a fashion which was adopted by multitudes of women over numerous centuries. Men of ancient Egypt too were well attuned with the art of cosmetology. They used castor bean oil as a sunscreen to protect their skin.

Women rapidly took to the use of cosmetics in the centuries that followed despite of being frowned upon at several occasions. Thanks to Hollywood, the demand of cosmetics instantly shot up around the 1920’s.The archetype heroine with the beautifully painted face became an icon of sorts whom every woman wanted to emulate.